IDP Upgrades: Week 5

This article immediately highlights defensive players whose production was significantly better or worse than normally expected for the prior week of games. Note there is sometimes limited information available when this article is written, but I will try to give everyone an early look at players who are moving up or down in value among IDP circles. It isn't easy to give waiver advice for IDPs since there is such a wide variety of lineups and scoring systems, but hopefully, the information provided can help inform your waiver, trade, and upcoming lineup decisions. I'm also going to try and group edge rushers together with the understanding that classification as a defensive end or linebacker will depend on your league setup/host. If you have any questions about specific players or situations, please email me or reach out via Twitter.

Email: rudnicki@footballguys.com
Twitter/X: @a_rudnicki

Upgrades

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN/EDGE RUSHERS

DE Khalil Mack, LAC (8 solos, 2 asst, 6 sacks, 5 TFL, 4 QH, 2 FF, 1 PD on 86% of snaps)
Not exactly sure where this came from, but Mack showed he still has something left to give as he nearly set the single-game sack record with 6 of them against the team that drafted him. The Raiders had only given up 4 sacks in the previous 3 games, but Mack was able to take advantage of a rookie quarterback making his first start.

DE Josh Allen, JAX (3 solos, 3 sacks, 2 TFL, 3 QH, 1 FF on 76% of snaps)
Allen has been a boom-or-bust player this year with 10 solos and 6 sacks in weeks 1 and 4 combined, but just 1 solo and 2 assists with no sacks in the other two games. There's a high ceiling for him each week but also a very low floor as well.

DE Maxx Crosby, LV (5 solos, 3 asst, 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 2 QH on 100% of snaps)
Crosby came into the game on Sunday with a questionable tag due to a knee injury that limited him in practice during the week. He still managed to play all 65 snaps in the game somehow, however, and posted a huge stat line with 8 tackles and a pair of sacks to remain among the elites at his position.

DE Greg Rousseau, BUF (3 solos, 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 2 QH, 1 PD on 57% of snaps)
Rousseau appeared poised for a breakout season following a strong offseason, and he's starting to show why with 3 sacks in his last two games. His game this week was even more impressive, given that Tua Tagovailoa had barely been touched in the first 3 games, yet the Bills sacked him 4 times. The expected return of Von Miller soon from the PUP list should also provide an additional boost.

DE Uchenna Nwosu, SEA (4 solos, 2 asst, 2 sacks, 1 TFL, 2 QH, 1 FF on 60% of snaps)
It was a huge night for nearly every member of the Seattle defense as they collected 11 sacks in the game, and 4 different players had multiple sacks. Nwosu has played the most snaps of any edge rusher on the team but had a quiet start to the season before this game. Seattle has a bye next week, but the return of Riq Woolen gives them a much improved secondary, and that should lead to better pass-rush opportunities going forward.

DE Dayo Odeyingbo, IND (5 solos, 2 asst, 1.5 sacks, 1 TFL, 4 QH, 1 FF, 1 PD on 59% of snaps)
The Colts have gotten solid production out of their starting defensive ends, but they lacked depth when Odeyingbo contributed just 3 tackles and no sacks over the first 3 games. The former 2nd-round pick recorded 5 sacks last year in a part-time role and should be able to improve on those numbers now that he's averaging more than 40 snaps per game.

DE Nik Bonitto, DEN (3 solos, 1 asst, 2.5 sacks, 2 TFL, 2 QH, 1 FF on 67% of snaps)
DE Jonathon Cooper, DEN (2 solos, 3 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 2 QH, 1 FR, 1 TD on 86% of snaps)
The Broncos may have the worst defense in the league, but they are getting some surprising production out of their edge rushers. Bonitto was a 2nd-round pick last year who has put up 3 strong starts in a row and now has 3.5 sacks with 6 tackles for loss in the past 3 games. Cooper has been even more productive and now has 20 tackles with 3 sacks and a fumble recovery touchdown in his last 3 games.

DE Jonathan Greenard, HOU (4 solos, 1 asst, 2 sacks, 3 TFL, 3 QH on 54% of snaps)
Greenard is playing a starter role in Houston alongside rookie Will Anderson. While he struggled to get much done last year, he did record 8 sacks back in 2021, so he has a track record. After a big game against the Steelers this week, he's now up to 16 tackles (12 solo) and 3 sacks in 4 games.

DE Andrew Van Ginkel, MIA (4 solos, 1 asst, 2 sacks, 3 TFL, 2 QH on 76% of snaps)
With Jaelan Phillips sitting out this week, Van Ginkel saw a heavy workload once again. He's already played 190 snaps on the season and has 19 tackles with 3 sacks. Compare that with Bradley Chubb, who has 14 tackles and 1 sack on 228 snaps.

DE Yetur Gross-Matos, CAR (4 solos, 1 sack, 2 TFL, 2 QH on 69% of snaps)
While Gross-Matos may not be the athletic edge rusher that Brian Burns and Justin Houston are, he's averaging about 60% of the snaps over the past 3 games and now has 2.5 sacks in that span.

DE Dennis Gardeck, ARI (2 solos, 2 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 QH on 36% of snaps)
Gardeck is on an incredible tear to start this season despite playing fewer than half the snaps in all 4 games. He picked up two sacks in the opener, which seemed likely to be an outlier, and then followed that up with a couple more sacks to give him 4 in 4 games.

DE D.J. Wonnum, MIN (4 solos, 2 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 2 QH, 1 FR, 1 PD, 1 TD)
Wonnum had a huge game against the Panthers this week and clearly warrants an upgrade, but there is some risk that this is a bit of a fluke. He's been mostly ineffective during the first 3 games of the season but then blew up for 6 tackles with a sack and a 51-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown that helped turn the game around. Marcus Davenport also played 63% of the snaps this week, which could lead to a drop in playing time for Wonnum going forward.

DT Vita Vea, TB (2 solos, 1 asst, 2 sacks, 1 TFL, 2 QH, 1 FF on 68% of snaps)
Vea came into the game this week listed as questionable after logging just a limited practice session on Friday, but he was active and managed to play a normal workload. He remained effective against the run and also picked up 2 more sacks to give him 3.5 on the year, which puts him on track to obliterate his career-high of 6.5 sacks that he set last year.

DT David Onyemata, ATL (2 solos, 5 asst, 1.5 sacks, 1 TFL, 2 QH on 67% of snaps)
Onyemata spent the first 7 years of his career as a productive role player for the Saints. He's playing a similar role in Atlanta under defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, who was his coach in New Orleans. After a slow start to the year, he was very active in London this week and was credited with 7 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

DT Devonte Wyatt, GB (3 solos, 1 asst, 1 sack, 2 TFL, 1 QH on 59% of snaps)
The Packers added Wyatt in the first round of last year's draft to boost their defensive line. Despite a quiet rookie campaign, he's making an impact this year with 12 combined tackles and 2.5 sacks through the first 4 games.

LINEBACKERS

LB Nicholas Morrow, PHI (10 solos, 1 asst, 3 sacks, 3 TFL, 3 QH, 1 FF on 99% of snaps)
It's hard to believe the Eagles cut Morrow prior to the season, but they were fortunate to add him to their practice squad. He was elevated to the active roster to fill in for Nakobe Dean in week 2 and has played almost every snap since then. He came into this week with just 4 sacks in his career but managed to collect 3 of them in an overtime win over a division rival.

LB Quay Walker, GB (10 solos, 9 asst, 1 TFL on 100% of snaps)
Walker may have taken over the full-time linebacker role anyway, but an injury to DeVondre Campbell has helped him emerge as the focal point of the Packers defense. He still has some room to improve in terms of his consistency, but he's reading and reacting quicker this year. The Lions offense generated 43 rush attempts, and Walker was very active as a result. Isaiah McDuffie also added 7 tackles on 46 defensive snaps.

LB Quincy Williams, NYJ (10 solos, 3 asst, 2 TFL, 1 QH, 2 PD on 96% of snaps)
Williams is likely one of the most underrated fantasy linebackers in the league as he continues to put up strong numbers while often being disregarded. With a huge game against the Chiefs on Sunday night, he's now up to 33 solo tackles and 6 assists and is playing almost every snap alongside C.J. Mosley.

LB David Long Jr, MIA (7 solos, 3 asst, 2 TFL on 93% of snaps)
After a slow start to the season that saw him play just 21% of the snaps in week 1, the free agent signing played close to a full-time role for Miami. His 54 snaps ranked 5th on the team and were 10 more than incumbent Jerome Baker. He's been productive with his snaps and now has 16 solos and 10 assists over the last 3 games combined.

LB Ernest Jones, LAR (4 solos, 6 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL on 100% of snaps)
Jones has played all 249 snaps for the Rams this year, and while he hasn't always generated the type of production some hoped for after Bobby Wagner left, he's still been among the leading tacklers in the league. With 10 more stops this week, he's now up to 38 on the season for an average of nearly 10 per game and also picked up his first sack this year. He could be in for another productive game next week when the Eagles come to town.

LB Nate Landman, ATL (8 solos, 2 asst on 82% of snaps)
With Troy Andersen landing on IR last week, Landman got his second start of the season. He is a bit of a wild card after making the team as an undrafted free agent last year, but he has some fantasy upside, assuming he can hold onto a 3-down role. Andersen is eligible to return from IR after 3 more weeks, but there was some speculation that it could be a season-ending injury.

LB Christian Harris, HOU (6 solos, 7 asst on 90% of snaps)
The Texans were once again without Denzel Perryman, but this time, they gave Harris a full-time role while Blake Cashman had a much smaller role. Henry To'oto'o also added 7 tackles on a 95% workload, so he may be ahead of Harris on the depth chart when Perryman returns.

LB Jahlani Tavai, NE (4 solos, 2 asst, 1 sack, 2 TFL, 1 QH, 1 PD on 66% of snaps)
JaWhaun Bentley is the top linebacker in this defense, but he's off to a slow start with just 11 solos and 14 assists through the first 4 games. Tavai has played nearly 100 fewer snaps but has nearly as many tackles, plus he added a sack this week.

LB Chad Muma, JAX (3 solos, 4 asst, 2 PD on 98% of snaps)
Muma is once again filling in for Devin Lloyd, who underwent surgery on his thumb and did not make the two-week trip to London. Muma had a solid game against the Falcons and has a favorable matchup next week against the Bills so he could provide a short-term boost at linebacker.

LB Drew Sanders, DEN (5 solos, 2 asst on 79% of snaps)
With Josey Jewell inactive while recovering from a groin injury, the rookie Sanders got the start and collected 7 tackles on 57 snaps. There weren't any big plays, but he was one of the highest-rated linebackers in this year's draft and figures to emerge as a long-term starter here eventually.

LB Ezekiel Turner, ARI (4 solos, 5 asst on 69% of snaps)
The Cardinals have started three different linebackers next to Kyzir White this year, and all have been rather productive. Josh Woods got the start in week 1, followed by Krys Barnes in weeks 2 and 3, but it was Turner who got the nod this week, with Barnes limited to a special teams role.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

S Harrison Smith, MIN (8 solos, 6 asst, 3 sacks, 2 TFL, 3 QH, 1 FF on 100% of snaps)
Smith is 34 years old and may not have many more games like this left, but he had a huge second half in a comeback win. 11 of his 14 tackles and all 3 of his sacks came in the second half, including a forced fumble that was returned for a defensive touchdown.

S Antoine Winfield Jr, TB (6 solos, 3 asst, 1 sack, 2 TFL, 1 QH, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 PD on 100% of snaps)
Tampa bounced back from a loss to the Eagles for a surprisingly easy win over the Saints. Winfield led the Bucs with 9 tackles while also adding his second sack of the year. He also forced a fumble from the Saints fullback that he recovered himself inside the Saints 10-yard line to lead to a touchdown at the end of the first half.

S Dax Hill, CIN (3 solos, 5 asst, 1 INT, 1 PD on 98% of snaps)
The Bengals took some risks in letting both starting safeties from last year walk in free agency, but it seems to have worked out fine for them. Last year's 1st round pick Hill barely got to play as a rookie, but he's already picked up 24 solo tackles, 10 assists, 2 interceptions, and a sack to rank right near former Bengal Jessie Bates in the top-5 among fantasy safeties this year. Nick Scott (9 solos, 1 asst) also put together a productive game this week in a tough loss to the Titans.

S Kamren Curl, WAS (9 solos, 3 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 QH on 100% of snaps)
Curl has been a solid fantasy option over the past 3 years, but he's been one of the most productive IDPs in Washington this year and could wind up leading them in tackles. With a huge game against the Eagles this week, he's already been credited with 25 solo tackles through 4 games and also added 12 assists and a sack.

S Kyle Dugger, NE (12 solos, 3 asst, 1 TFL, 1 QH on 90% of snaps)
Dugger struggled at times in 2022 and was looking to bounce back. He was quiet in the first couple of games but added 7 tackles last week and 15 more this week. There aren't many high-end fantasy options in New England, so he is one of the rare defensive backs who could potentially lead his team in tackles while also providing a handful of big plays.

S Rudy Ford, GB (7 solos, 1 asst, 1 INT, 1 PD on 100% of snaps)
There were some concerns in Green Bay about the safety position, but Darnell Savage and Rudy Ford seem to be providing stability in the secondary. Over the past 3 games, Ford has been credited with 18 solo tackles, 4 assists, 3 passes defensed with an interception. The upcoming schedule also looks favorable.

S Andre Cisco, JAX (4 solos, 1 TFL, 1 INT, 1 PD on 83% of snaps)
Cisco has been one of the most reliable safeties through the first 4 games of the season. He picked off his second pass of the year and now has at least 7 combined tackles or an interception in all 4 games played. Look for him to remain productive next week against the Bills, too.

S Sam Franklin Jr., CAR (2 solos, 2 asst, 1 INT, 1 PD, 1 TD on 98% of snaps)
Franklin is filling in for Xavier Woods at free safety and started the game off with a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown. He wound up playing all but 1 snap in the game while Jeremy Chinn played 65% in mostly a sub-package role again.

CB Devon Witherspoon, SEA (6 solos, 1 asst, 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 3 QH, 1 INT, 1 PD, 1 TD)
Witherspoon is making a strong impression over his last two games and looks like he will make a big impact on the Seattle defense. He was everywhere on Monday night and added 7 tackles, 2 sacks, plus a 97-yard interception return for a touchdown.

CB JuJu Brents, IND (8 solos, 1 asst on 96% of snaps)
The Rams are a favorable matchup for cornerbacks this year, but Brents also stands out because he's a 6'3” rookie cornerback who the Colts drafted in the 2nd round. He missed most of training camp and the first two weeks with a hamstring injury but looked good in his debut last week and followed it up with another productive outing this week.

CB DaRon Bland, DAL (3 solos, 1 asst, 2 INT, 3 PD, 1 TD on 78% of snaps)
The season-ending injury to Trevon Diggs has forced Bland back into the starting lineup, and he seems to be taking advantage of his opportunities. He's played fewer than 50 snaps per game thus far but already has 3 interceptions and two have been returned for a touchdown.

CB Jerry Jacobs, DET (5 solos, 2 INT, 4 PD on 100% of snaps)
Jacobs picked off Jordan Love twice in this game, which contributed to a relatively easy win against their division rival. The former undrafted free agent has been able to hold onto a starting job and is providing reliable numbers with 5+ solo tackles in all 4 games this year.

CB Isaac Yiadom, NO (5 solos, 1 asst, 1 INT, 2 PD on 76% of snaps)
Yiadom is filling in as the Saints nickel back for Paulson Adebo, who is recovering from a hamstring injury. Given the strength of the outside cornerbacks, the Saints slot corner tends to see plenty of targets, and that has helped Yiadom collect 12 tackles with 6 passes defensed and an interception over the past two weeks.

CB Emmanuel Forbes Jr., WAS (7 solos, 2 asst, 2 PD on 100% of snaps)
Forbes was taken with the 16th overall pick in this year's draft based primarily on his playmaking ability. He struggled against the much stronger A.J. Brown this week and will continue to be tested in most weeks, which is often good for fantasy purposes.

Downgrades

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN/EDGE RUSHERS

DE Matthew Judon, NE (1 solo, 2 QH on 59% of snaps)
Judon has been one of the most productive pass rushers in the league since joining the Patriots and already had 4 sacks in the first 3 games this year. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn biceps late in the game on Sunday, which could be season-ending. That likely means work for Josh Uche and Anfernee Jennings, as well as the rookie Keion White, but this is a huge loss for the Patriots defense.

DE Nick Bosa, SF (4 QH on 68% of snaps)
With 4 quarterback hits in the game, it may seem strange to downgrade Bosa, but those stats don't count in most IDP leagues. The fact remains that last year's Defensive Player of the Year only has 4 solos, 3 assists, and 1 sack through the first 4 games of the season. Not sure if his contract holdout is having an impact, but the team is rolling and he will likely pick things up at some point.

DE Harold Landry III, TEN (1 solo, 1 asst on 64% of snaps)
Landry was expected to be the top pass-rush threat for the Titans this year, but he's been quiet with just 1 sack and 8 tackles over 4 games. Denico Autry (3.5 sacks) and Arden Key (2.5 sacks) have helped pick up the slack, and both had more playing time than Landry this week for the first time all year.

DE Bradley Chubb, MIA (1 solo, 1 asst, 1 QH on 83% of snaps)
Chubb is expected to be a core part of the Dolphins defense this year under Vic Fangio, but it hasn't panned out as expected so far. Despite a heavy workload that has seen him average nearly 60 snaps/game, he has put up one productive start. Perhaps he can turn things around next week against the Giants.

DE DeMarcus Walker, CHI (1 solo, 1 asst, 1 TFL, on 81% of snaps)
DE Yannick Ngakoue, CHI (0 tackles on 85% of snaps)
The Chicago defense only played 48 snaps in this game, but the game script seemed ideal for their pass rushers to make an impact as the Bears opened up a big lead in the first half. Walker now has just 4 solos with 1 assist and no sacks in his first 4 games with the Bears, while Ngakoue has also gone cold with 4 tackles and no sacks over his last 3 games combined.

DE Romeo Okwara, DET (0 tackles on 14% of snaps)
Okwara posted 10 sacks in his last healthy season for Detroit (2020) but has been plagued by injuries since. He appears healthy now but has been relegated to a limited role and saw just 8 snaps this week despite injuries elsewhere.

LINEBACKERS

LB Troy Andersen, ATL (DNP)
Andersen suffered a pectoral/shoulder injury late in last week's game that landed him on injured reserve. He will miss a minimum of 4 games, but head coach Arthur Smith said it was possible the injury could be season-ending.

LB Kamu Grugier-Hill, CAR (2 asst, 1 INT, 1 PD on 29% of snaps)
The Panthers left Deion Jones inactive this week as Frankie Luvu was able to play the entire game, but they also gave limited snaps to Grugier-Hill. It was a weird game since the Vikings offense only generated 37 tackle opportunities, and he still came up with an interception. But the drop in snap count is concerning.

LB Ivan Pace Jr. MIN (3 solos, 2 asst on 51% of snaps)
Pace had a hot start to the season with 16 tackles and a partial sack in the first two weeks, but he's seen a clear drop the past two weeks. He has just 9 combined tackles in the past two games and saw a season-low workload of 51% this week despite a favorable game script.

LB Kwon Alexander, PIT (1 solo, 3 asst, 1 TFL on 38% of snaps)
After playing 60+% of the snaps for the first 3 games of the season, Alexander saw his playing time flipped with Elandon Roberts this week. Alexander added 4 tackles on 27 snaps while Roberts picked up 10 tackles on his 42 snaps. The Steelers are using a rotation at inside linebacker, which limits the upside for these two as well as Cole Holcomb.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

S Ryan Neal, TB (1 solo on 3% of snaps)
Neal only lasted two plays in the game before leaving with a concussion. He was replaced by Dee Delaney, who added 3 solos plus an interception while playing nearly the entire game.

CB Christian Gonzalez, NE (1 solo on 26% of snaps)
The reigning defensive rookie of the month left the game early with a shoulder injury after making a tackle. Initial reports said he suffered a dislocated shoulder and would be out indefinitely, which means more responsibility for depth players like Myles Bryant and Shaun Wade in a depleted secondary.

CB Tre'Davious White, BUF (3 solos, 1 QH, 1 PD on 72% of snaps)
White suffered a torn Achilles in the game, which is a devastating injury for a cornerback, especially after he worked to recover from a torn ACL in the 2021 season. While his impact to IDP leagues had been minimal, this is a significant loss to the Bills defense and figures to create more opportunities for Dane Jackson and Kaiir Elam.

CB Cam Taylor-Britt, CIN (5 solos, 1 asst, 1 FF on 56% of snaps)
Taylor-Britt was on his way to a very productive game before leaving early with a concussion after taking a hit to the head from a teammate.

CB Donte Jackson, CAR (1 solo on 27% of snaps)
Jackson probably wasn't on many rosters, but he left the game early with a shoulder injury and did not return. He was replaced by Dshawn Jamison, who added 1 tackle and 1 pass defensed on 34 snaps.

CB Denzel Ward, CLE (0 tackles on 91% of snaps)
Ward has enjoyed a productive start to the season with 11 solo tackles and 5 passes defensed in the first 3 games. He didn't make it onto the stat sheet this week despite playing 51 snaps, as the Ravens completed just 15 of 19 passes while controlling the game with their rushing attack.